SIA Abora construction company will not be hired for Liepaja Prison project, Justice Minister Jānis Bordāns told journalists after a government meeting on Friday, 6 September.

The minister made this decision, «considering the situation on Latvia’s market and that the coalition lacks any support for allocation of funding for construction», because technically it is offered to postpone construction project for several years, which would in turn mean organizing a new tender.

The minister decided to announce a new international tender.

«This is my decision as Justice Minister. Even the government’s decision at this point is unimportant,» said the minister.

«I cannot say even an ideal tender could make the process cheaper. Perhaps some miracle will happen, but I cannot claim this for certain,» added the politician.

The beginning of the year marked the conclusion of the tender for the design and construction of the new Liepaja Prison. Abora won with its offer to perform all work for the cheapest price – EUR 113.6 million.

Construction company Abora was mentioned in the investigation jointly launched by Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) and Competition Council this week. Construction companies and certain state officials are suspected of being members of a cartel agreement. Law enforcement officers have performed searches in different companies and offices.

The topic of Liepaja Prison’s future was discussed at the 6 September government meeting. Unfortunately, ministers failed to reach an agreement – start construction next year or have it postponed until 2022.

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At a speedy pace – this is how the emerging crisis in waste management was being prevented in Riga this week. Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš gave Riga City Council a bashing, saying that Riga is attempting to pass on its problems on the shoulders of the entire country. The prime minister asked the capital to settle its own problems. Nevertheless, the government declared a state of emergency in Riga.

In regards to the topic of the state budget’s fiscal space in 2020 and expenditures for priorities, Latvia’s Justice Ministry insists on maintaining its position in regards to Liepaja Prison’s construction project’s necessity.

In the Brexit saga, speaker of a parliamentary chamber has pledged to permit changing the rules of procedure to keep UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson from forcing a no-deal Brexit on October 31, seen as a potential violation of law.

In Lithuania, inflation has been two times faster in 2019 compared to other markets in the euro area. Economist Žygimantas Mauricas believes retailers have used a surge in wages to increase prices, especially in grocery stores.

Municipalities are planned to be applied with a ban to found and publish mass media, as provided by Saeima’s Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee’s supported amendments to the Law on Press and Other Mass Media, as confirmed by Saeima’s press-service.

Latvia still has not ratified European Council Convention on Prevention of Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, otherwise known as the Istanbul Convention, even though it is a major tool for combating domestic violence, said UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women representative Ana Peláez Narváez.

As two prominent TV faces are set to win the runoff elections to take vacant seats left in Lithuanian parliament after two MPs swapped their parliamentary jobs for mayoral stints and an independent MP, Aušra Maldeikienė, left for Brussels as europarliamentarian, the Lithuanian Social Democrats’ leader, Gintautas Paluckas, who is former vice-mayor of capital city Vilnius, is restless.

Latvian residents are expected to install smoke detectors in their homes – private houses and apartments – by 1 January. For private homes, however, there is an additional requirement – owners are expected to have fire extinguishers on hand as well, reminds State Fire and Rescue Service.

The latest Times Higher Education ranking of the leading large higher education institutions in the world, the University of Tartu has been placed in the group of 301-350 best. Other Baltic universities followed in the group of 801-1000.

«The summer will not last forever,» said Lithuanian Finance Minister Vilius Šapoka about a summary of official economic forecasts, which warn that after a fairly rapid growth, national economy and wages would grow at a somewhat slower pace.

In spite of Competition Council head Skaidrīte Ābrama’s statement and Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš’s confidence that the government has no need to become involved in Riga’s waste management problem, because it is in the hands of Riga City Council, ministers have nonetheless decided to support Environment Protection and Regional Development Ministry’s proposal to declare a state of emergency in Riga.

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